Shloka 23

भीष्मधृतराष्ट्रसंवादः — पाण्डवबलप्रशंसा

Bhishma–Dhritarashtra Dialogue: Appraisal of Pandava Strength

Devanagari script

वृषसेनो रथस्ते5ग्र्य: कर्णपुत्रो महारथ: । प्रधक्ष्यति रिपूर्णां ते बल॑ं तु बलिनां वर:

Transliteration

vṛṣaseno rathas te 'gryaḥ karṇaputro mahārathaḥ | pradhakṣyati ripūṇāṃ te balaṃ tu balināṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Vṛṣasena—Karnas Sohn—gehört zu den besten Wagenkämpfern in deinem Heer, ein wahrer großer Held. Dieser Beste der Starken wird die feindlichen Heere, die sich dir entgegenstellen, in Brand setzen und ihre gewaltige Macht zu Asche machen.“

Word by Word

• वृषसेनः: Vrishasena
• वृषसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथः: chariot-warrior (ratha-fighter)
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अग्र्यः: foremost, excellent
• अग्र्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्र्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्णपुत्रः: son of Karna
• कर्णपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior, maharatha
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रधक्ष्यति: will burn up, will consume
• प्रधक्ष्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धक्ष् (दह्)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular

• रिपूणाम्: of (your) enemies
• रिपूणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ते: your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बलिनाम्: of the strong (men)
• बलिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: best, foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vṛṣasena
• Karṇa
• enemy army (ripūṇāṃ balam)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of recognizing merit and strength in war: a leader should know and value capable warriors, since disciplined prowess can decisively shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing and praising Vṛṣasena, Karṇa’s son, as a foremost chariot-warrior, assuring that he will devastate the opposing forces in the coming conflict.